Disclosed herein is an improvement of the embodiments described in Johnston U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/898,095, filed May 20, 2013, and published as Pub. No. US 2013/0306569 on Nov. 21, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to the treatment of water with ozone for supply to appliances, particularly clothes washing machines.
Ozone (chemical formula O3) is well known as a powerful oxidant. A number of methods are known for producing ozone. Corona discharge is a common method, and is employed in embodiments of the invention disclosed herein. Another common method for generating ozone generator employs an ultraviolet light (UV). Other methods for generating ozone are a cold plasma method, and electrolytic ozone generation. Embodiments of the invention, however, are not limited to any particular type of ozone generator. It is also well known that ozone can be dissolved in water, and also can exist as small bubbles in water, both of which are known as ozonated water.
The use of ozonated water in a clothes washing machine has a number of advantages. As examples, the use of detergent can be reduced or eliminated. As a result, expense for detergent is reduced or eliminated, as well as build up of detergent residue. (Related to the reduction or elimination of detergent, the wastewater from a clothes washing machine supplied with ozonated water is considered “green,” without high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) food for bacteria.) Cold water can be used for clothes washing, providing energy savings from reduced hot water usage. The life of clothing, as well as the life of a washing machine, can be extended.
Ozonated water used in a clothes washing machine can remove irritating chemicals from clothing. This is particularly important for persons with chemical sensitivity.
In addition, ozonated water significantly reduces microbes, including mold, bacteria and viruses.